New Orleans: Revellers celebrate Mardi Gras to mark the beginning of Lent

Floats rolled down the streets of New Orleans, Louisiana, as revellers celebrated Mardi Gras, capping off the carnival with colourful costumes and dancing. Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras in French, sees people celebrate the last day of the carnival season, devoted to frivolity and partying in the final hours before Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of Lent.

The carnival is organised by social clubs known as "Krewes" who stage one of the city's most celebrated parades on Fat Tuesday, a heritage that has helped define Mardi Gras.

The Zulu parade kicked off festivities on Tuesday (9 February) with riders on floats tossing beads and decorated coconuts into the crowd.

A member of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club parades down St. Charles Avenue during Mardi Gras in New OrleansJonathan Bachman/ Getty ImagesKrewe of Rex parades down St. Charles Avenue during Mardi GrasJonathan Bachman/ Getty ImagesA member of the Mondo Kayo Social and Marching Club looks on at the paradeJonathan Bachman/ Getty ImagesA member of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club parades down Canal StreetJonathan Bachman/ Getty ImagesA member of the Mondo Kayo Social and Marching Club parades down St. Charles AvenueJonathan Bachman/ Getty ImagesA member of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club parades down Canal StreetJonathan Bachman/ Getty ImagesA member of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure ClubJonathan Bachman/ Getty ImagesA member of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club on Canal StreetJonathan Bachman/ Getty Images

A reveller makes her way through the French Quarter during Mardi GrasJonathan Bachman/ Getty Images

Two carnival-goers in the French QuarterJonathan Bachman/ Getty ImagesA man dressed as a banana for Mardi GrasJonathan Bachman/ Getty ImagesA member of the Mondo Kayo Social and Marching Club parades down St. Charles Avenue during Mardi Gras, New OrleansJonathan Bachman/ Getty ImagesA group of revellers look onJonathan Bachman/ Getty ImagesA reveller in the French QuarterJonathan Bachman/ Getty ImagesA member of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club throws a coconut during the New Orleans Rex ParadeJonathan Bachman/ Getty Images

Traditionally, there are a number of Krewes who take part in the parade, including Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, the Mondo Kayo Social and Marching Club and Krewe of Rex, who had the most recognisable spectacles, including the Jester, the "Boeuf Gras" (or fatted bull), and the King of Carnival's float.